Direct International Connectivity
Project Kelvin is now fully operational, and provides Northern Ireland with its first direct telecoms link to North America, and improved connectivity to continental Europe.
Co-financed under the INTERREG IVA programme 2007-2013, and in partnership with the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources in the Republic of Ireland, a €29.5m contract to build and operate the new link was awarded to Hibernia Atlantic Limited in December 2008 following a competitive tendering process.
Project Kelvin has brought a new submarine cable from Portrush to the Hibernia North Transatlantic cable located 22 miles off the North coast. The new international telecommunications link interconnects with Northern Ireland’s existing telecommunications infrastructure at a number of different locations throughout Northern Ireland - Armagh, Ballymena, Belfast, Coleraine, Londonderry, Omagh, Portadown and Strabane. Businesses across NI can access the international link through local telecoms networks.
NI businesses can benefit from improved competition in the NI telecommunications market and improved speed and reliability of international telecommunications. Project Kelvin will also provide for international telecommunications at a cost comparable to that in major European cities such as Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester and Amsterdam.
Pricing, latency and availability of telecoms services on the Kelvin network are contractually guaranteed until 2018.
Users of telecoms services will also benefit from the improved resilience of Northern Ireland’s robust telecoms infrastructure.
Further details are available from:
Telecoms Policy Unit, DETI, Netherleigh, Massey Avenue Belfast, BT4 2JP
Telephone: 028 9052 9254
Email: telecomspolicy@detini.gov.uk
or
Hibernia Atlantic, International Exchange Centre, Clonshaugh Industrial Estate,
Dublin 17, Ireland. Telephone : 00353-1-8673600. Website: www.hiberniaatlantic.com
Press Release - Interreg IV Award of Contract
Link to SEUPB wesite - http://www.seupb.eu
